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Mazda 3 2.0 R The newest kid on the block, the 141 horsepower Mazda3 2.0 R is the mainstream ‘zoom-zoom’ car. And that design philosophy is evident in every single area of the 3 from its sharp design to its excellent ergonomics, and competitive drivetrain—never has a car been designed with such focus (pardon the pun). It has managed to dispense all hints of luxury for something a little bit more sporty (black leather, glowing-red gauges, ‘active-matic transmission’ and 17-inch alloys). Still, for such a well-sorted package, one would expect a well-sorted price—not so as the 3 is a bargain at just P915,000. Mitsubishi Lancer MX Carrying the new corporate look, the Lancer MX has the group’s smallest engine at 1.6-liters. Even with just 110 horsepower, the Lancer still manages to exact some spirited levels of performance with its Continuously Variable Transmission or CVT. It can be equally smooth on the highway as well as on the winding mountain roads. The revised package also means that the Lancer dispenses with all the unnecessary stuff, and instead focuses more on passive safety with standard dual airbags, ABS, and EBD. Comfort-oriented 195/60 R 15s complete the package. Nissan Sentra 180GT Honed and refined from the previous Exalta, Nissan decided to bring back the Sentra name and its timing is certainly impeccable. With the 128 horsepower, 1.8-liter engine, the Sentra is well mannered and sorted on the road. It dispenses the AV system and kitchen sink package for something more tuned towards the enthusiast. Vast improvements have been made to the transmission, brakes, and even the suspension to keep the Sentra in contention despite being the oldest car in this test group, platform-wise. Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8G The best-selling compact sedan in the market, the Toyota Corolla Altis is finally able to combine style with Toyota’s knack for reliability and durability. With its punchy 1.8-liter VVTi engine, the 145 horsepower Altis is certainly no slouch. It gains some traits from its luxury oriented bigger brother, the Camry, with its standard leather power seats, wood trim, 2-DIN radio, and corner sensors. Functional as it is stylish, the Corolla Altis is certainly here to stay with its well-rounded package. The Verdict As much as we’d like to reveal the winner for Best Compact Sedan, the results have been sealed up to be tabulated and finalized by accounting firm SGV. The announcement of the results will be done in February of 2005 along with the Philippines’s first Car of the Year.● |
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